Tom Karlya

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The Changing Times—Remember When…………??????

Do you realize that if you speak to our young people today about anything to do with the Viet Nam War, you might just as well be speaking about WWII. The explosion disaster of The Challenger was 28 years ago, and do you even want to discuss a conversation about walking on the moon?

Times; they are changing.

It’s the same in the diabetes world. Could you ever imagine telling someone who is newly diagnosed; it’s not a big deal. If you feel weird in any way, you go off to the side, you pee in this cup, you stick this in and it will tell you a range of your blood sugar, you go home and see if your mom is done boiling (sterilizing) your glass syringe and needle which is about 2 inches long, and you take insulin. Two hours later—-bingo—-you are back at play.

Imagine?

Let’s be clear, it’s no picnic having diabetes, as a parent I can attest to that without even fully understanding what it’s like to actually have diabetes. When Kaitlyn was diagnosed in 1992 I remember clearly the phrase; well if ever there was a time to have it, today is better than ten years ago. But even at that–mixing regular and pork insulin; taking two shots one-right-after-another, hearing about ‘this thing’ called an insulin pump, waiting 45 seconds for a BG number, and a CGM could have meant anything as far as we were concerned because the initials meant nothing to us.

Even still, people are locked in to the data of years ago speaking of complications (all of them you know, I don’t need to list them; I KNOW you KNOW) and what can happen and when it can happen but truth be known; there is an entire generation of kids that have the resources today to take so much better care of themselves than even when Kaitlyn was first diagnosed in 1992. Many write about the wonderful implications much of this means to most.

I have often stated that I am not such a big fan of any artificial (bionic etc.) pancreas that is not being utilized with both insulin and glucagon to both raise and lower blood glucose (note: my opinion) but the truth is; let everyone working on it continually challenge each other, debate with each other; and strive to make their device the best as it can be—-in the end; the ones who will win will be those who have diabetes.

Hear me loud and clear when I say that what is being worked on today, is not the device you will use some time tomorrow. Know that and as long as the ‘principle’ of how the device could/should work is being explored; those with the interest will get it to the point of everyday use. Insulins, devices, and other innovations lay in a/the pipeline of development.

But not fast enough, right? The great thing about management tools is they progress forward and a concept either makes it to market (our use) or does not. To be clear, I’m not side-stepping discussion of a cure here but a cure is either here, or it’s not. There is much being worked on and this we know. My point today is while we wait it is important to also know, and realize, that change regarding devices and tools being used ‘in the now’ gets better and better every day.

And from someone who has been there, the pump that your young one now wears, at one time was only a dream. I mean literally; a dream.

Imagine actually having to pee in a cup just to ‘guess’ at how much insulin to take? Seriously?

Science is a wonderful thing and the management tools????? well times; they are changing…….still; and that’s good…………very good.